[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 94 (Wednesday, May 15, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34708-34709]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-12009]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OPP-2002-0064; FRL-7177-6]


Organophosphate Pesticides; Methidathion, Availability of Interim 
Reregistration Eligibility Decision Document

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of the Interim 
Registration Eligibility Decision (interim RED) document for the 
organophosphate pesticide (OP), methidathion. This interim decision was 
developed as part of the OP pilot public participation process that the 
EPA and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) are now 
using for involving the public in the reassessment of pesticide 
tolerances under the Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA) and the 
reregistration of individual OPs under the Federal Insecticide, 
Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA).

DATES: The interim RED document for methidathion is currently available 
in the OP Public Regulatory Docket under docket control number OPP-
2002-0064.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carmen Rodia, Chemical Review Manager, 
Special Review and Reregistration Division (7508C), Office of Pesticide 
Programs, Environmental Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., 
Washington, DC 20460; telephone number: (703) 306-0327; e-mail address: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

I. General Information

A. Does this Action Apply to Me?

    This action is directed to the public in general, nevertheless, a 
wide range of stakeholders will be interested in obtaining the interim 
decision documents for methidathion, including environmental, human 
health and

[[Page 34709]]

agricultural advocates; the chemical industry; pesticide users; and 
members of the public interested in the use of pesticides on food. 
Since other entities also may be interested, the Agency has not 
attempted to describe all the specific entities that may be affected by 
this action. If you have any questions regarding the applicability of 
this action to a particular entity, consult the person listed under FOR 
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

B. How Can I Get Additional Information, Including Copies of this 
Document and Other Related Documents?

    1. Electronically. You may obtain electronic copies of this 
document, and certain other related documents that might be available 
electronically, from the EPA Internet Home Page at http://www.epa.gov/. 
On the Home Page select ``Laws and Regulations,'' ``Regulations and 
Proposed Rules,'' and then look up the entry for this document under 
the ``Federal Register--Environmental Documents.'' You can also go 
directly to the Federal Register listings at http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/. In addition, copies of the methidathion interim risk 
management decision documents released to the public may also be 
accessed at http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/reregistration/status.htm.
    2. In person. The Agency has established an official record for 
this action under docket control number OPP-2002-0064. The official 
record consists of the documents specifically referenced in this 
action, and other information related to this action, including any 
information claimed as Confidential Business Information (CBI). This 
official record includes the documents that are physically located in 
the docket, as well as the documents that are referenced in those 
documents. The public version of the official record does not include 
any information claimed as CBI. The public version of the official 
record, which includes printed, paper versions of any electronic 
comments submitted during an applicable comment period is available for 
inspection in the Public Information and Records Integrity Branch 
(PIRIB), Room 119, Crystal Mall #2, 1921 Jefferson Davis Highway, 
Arlington, VA 22202-4501, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through 
Friday, excluding legal holidays. The PIRIB telephone number is (703) 
305-5805.

II. What Action is the Agency Taking?

    EPA has assessed the risks of methidathion and reached an Interim 
Reregistration Eligibility Decision (interim RED) for this OP. Provided 
that risk mitigation measures are adopted, methidathion fits into its 
own risk cup-its individual, aggregate risks are within acceptable 
levels. Methidathion is also eligible for reregistration, pending a 
full reassessment of the cumulative risk from all OP pesticides. Used 
on a variety of agricultural crops, predominantly alfalfa, citrus, and 
cotton, methidathion residues in food and drinking water do not pose 
risk concerns. Methidathion has no residential uses. EPA considered the 
mitigation proposal submitted by the technical registrant, as well as 
comments and mitigation ideas from other interested parties, and has 
decided on a number of label amendments (restrictions) to mitigate 
risks of concern posed by the uses of methidathion. With the 
implementation of these mitigation measures, methidathion's worker and 
ecological risks also will be below levels of concern for 
reregistration.
    The methidathion interim RED was made through the OP pesticide 
pilot public participation process, which increases transparency and 
maximizes stakeholder involvement in EPA's development of risk 
assessments and risk management decisions. The pilot public 
participation process was developed as part of the EPA/USDA Tolerance 
Reassessment Advisory Committee, which was established in April 1998, 
as a subcommittee under the auspices of EPA's National Advisory Council 
for Environmental Policy and Technology. A goal of the pilot public 
participation process is to find a more effective way for the public to 
participate at critical junctures in the Agency's development of OP 
pesticide risk assessments and risk management decisions. EPA and USDA 
began implementing this pilot process in August 1998, to increase 
transparency and opportunities for stakeholder consultation.
    EPA worked extensively with affected parties to reach the decisions 
presented in the interim RED, which concludes the pilot public 
participation process for methidathion. As part of the pilot public 
participation process, numerous opportunities for public comment were 
offered as the interim RED was being developed. The methidathion 
interim RED is issued in final, without a formal public comment period. 
The OP Public Regulatory Docket remains open; however, and any comments 
submitted in the future will be placed in the docket.
    The revised risk assessments for methidathion were released to the 
public through a notice published in the Federal Register of December 
8, 1999 (OPP-34213), (FRL-6399-2).
    EPA's next step under the FQPA is to consider available information 
on the basis of cumulative risk encompassing all of the OP pesticides, 
sharing a common mechanism of toxicity. The tolerance reassessment 
decision for methidathion cannot be considered final until the 
cumulative risks for all of the OPs is considered. The Agency may need 
to pursue further risk management measures at that time.

List of Subjects

    Environmental protection, chemicals, insecticides, acaricides, 
Pesticides and pests.

    Dated: May 6, 2002.
  Lois Rossi,
Director Special Review and Reregistration Division, Office of 
Pesticide Programs.
[FR Doc. 02-12009 Filed 5-14-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-S